We're short staffed, they're not going to grant long term LOAs right now. It's work or quit... and obviously in that case if I quit I'm just deleting my savings (rather than building them) and moving stressful times from right now to 4-5-6 months down the road.... only then it oculd last for god knows how long as finding a job, and a job I, outside of a pandemic enjoy, would be difficult
Ultimately I just have to keep going, I know that, I just feel the extra 2$/hour while nice isn't what I'd call Essential Service Pay ya know, it's not even enough where I could take an extra day off a week and not see a reduction in my normal non pandemic paycheque. Good news is it ebbs and flows, this past week was a pretty good ok one. Part of why I talk about expanding emergency benefits and shit.... Ultimately I just take issue with what I feel is a downplaying of my situation when i'm called lucky, mostly because I don't have much of a genuine choice in the matter just like everyone else who is in opposite positions. All I'm saying is legit i'd be in a much better place, and feel a lot stronger, if I knew that risking my health right now meant a genuinely decent build in my savings over the next few months.. maybe that's a bit selfish to some, but I think it's a justified desire. Like starting next week every day is going to be the order size of out non pandemic busiest day of the week.... and probably busier, everyday is going to be the 'busy day".
Also I argue for this hazard pay, in the form of UBI or whatever not just for me, but also for those who don't even have the solace of getting to work overnight, and have to instead work during the day surrounded by people, frequently angry, often careless people.